Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Councilman John Olszewski Sr. says bill could help protect bay while allowing some shopping centers to decrease parking.
Parking could be harder to come by at some Baltimore County shopping centers this Christmas but not because of a sudden change in the economy. A proposal to allow some shopping centers to reduce the number of parking spaces required by the county has some activists worried it will also limit community input. Shopping centers with 100,000 square-feet or more of retail space could seek county approval for as much as a 40 percent reduction in the number of parking spaces required by county law under a bill sponsored by Councilman John Olszeweski Sr., a Dundalk Democrat. Activists are concerned the new rules could be used to allow expansion of shopping centers in a way that would not be allowed by current law. They also expressed concern that …
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Thursday, May 31, 2012
Bill highlights access development lawyers have and community activists say they wish they had.
A law firm that raised thousands of dollars for two freshman Baltimore County council members wrote "significant portions" of a bill that could benefit a client seeking to develop a contested Bowleys Quarters marina. The proposed legislation was introduced last month by Councilman David Marks and had a hearing before the full council on Tuesday. One of its provisions allows for developments to be built in rural areas of the county if any portion of the property has water and sewer service. The proposed 36-unit condominium project on Galloway Creek in Bowleys Quarters is such a project. Its developers are represented by the Towson law firm of Smith, Gildea and Schmidt. In an interview, Marks said the politically-connected firm wrote “…
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Republican Todd Huff went to the 2011 game in Dallas with a shopping center and apartment complex owner.
Todd Huff says he's not a big football fan, but in 2011 he attended at least four games, including taking a trip to Dallas to see the Super Bowl with a local shopping center and apartment complex owner. The games highlight a hole that the State Ethics Commission says exists in legislation passed by the County Council earlier this year. The legislation was meant to bring county law substantially into sync with the state ethics law. Huff, a Timonium Republican, attended at least four games in 2011, including the Super Bowl. He wrote about the games, which include three Baltimore Ravens games, on his official council Facebook page. Tickets to one of the games were provided by Merritt Properties, as first reported by the Baltimore Sun. None of…
Monday, May 7, 2012
Council votes to prohibit panhandle lots in the Carney-Cub Hill-Parkville community. Bill allowing biking, hiking in Loch Raven Reservoir is withdrawn.
Updated (11:12 a.m.)—County restaurants and other businesses that don't have liquor licenses but allow customers to bring their own beer and wine may soon need a license to continue the practice. Councilman Todd Huff, a Timonium Republican, introduced a bill Monday night that would create a "BYOB License" for restaurants and some other businesses that do not already have a license to sell alcohol to patrons. "There is no law governing BYOB," said Huff. "We looked." Currently, businesses such as restaurants and cigar shops are technically allowed to offer "BYOB by right," Huff said. Many restaurants already do, the councilman said. The problem, according to Huff, is that some businesses that allow customers to consume alcohol also allow …
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Officials ask the Baltimore County Council to hire an outside attorney for a lawsuit involving subprime mortgages.
Baltimore County pension officials are privately scrambling to meet a deadline to file a lawsuit in an attempt to recover tens of millions of dollars in county pension funds. County Budget Director Keith Dorsey and County Attorney Michael Field met with Council members Vicki Almond, Cathy Bevins, David Marks and Ken Oliver and members of the county auditor’s office late Monday prior to the council’s voting session. The subject of the meeting was the approval of a contract to hire an outside attorney to pursue a lawsuit against Merrill Lynch, multiple sources tell Patch, speaking on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to discuss the meeting publicly. Almond confirmed the meeting, but said the discussion was …
Monday, April 16, 2012
Four Baltimore County Council members accused County Executive Kevin Kamenetz of cutting off their access to department heads and of intentionally delaying projects in their districts.
Four members of the Baltimore County Council say County Executive Kevin Kamenetz is retaliating against them by delaying projects in their districts after they voted to table the administration's pension bill last month. Council Chairwoman Vicki Almond, Councilman Ken Oliver and Councilman Tom Quirk—all Democrats—and Councilman David Marks, a Republican, said their access to county department heads to address constituent concerns has been greatly diminished since the day after they voted March 19 to table the bill. All said they believe the executive is further penalizing them by withholding money for projects in each of their districts while providing funds to council districts whose members voted to pass the pension bill. Oliver said …
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Bill establishing term limits for council members tabled.
UPDATED (9:07 a.m.)—A split Baltimore County Council approved a controversial transgender anti-discrimination bill Tuesday night by a 5-2 vote. The bill, sponsored by Councilman Tom Quirk, a Catonsville Democrat, prohibits discrimination against transgender individuals seeking housing, financing or employment. "It's a night for equality," said Quirk. "We sent a loud message that discrimination is wrong. This bill is about equality. This bill is about human rights." The vote went along party lines with Councilmen Todd Huff and David Marks, Republicans from Timonium and Perry Hall respectively, voting against the bill. Huff was not immediately available for comment after the meeting and did not return a call from a reporter seeking comment. …
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Amendment to remove controversial public accommodations language has enough votes to pass. Readers can weigh in on the subject in our poll.
The Baltimore County Council appears set to approve a transgender anti-discrimination bill but it will likely pass with an amendment governing the use of public accommodations, including restrooms. A bi-partisan coalition has joined Democratic Councilman John Olszewski Sr. and Republican Councilman Todd Huff on an amendment that clarifies provisions governing the use of private and personal facilities, including bathrooms, in a bill sponsored by Councilman Tom Quirk. Quirk's bill seeks to prevent discrimination against transgender persons in employment, housing and finance. It's similar to one passed last year in Howard County. The bill as proposed did not require businesses to make such facilities available to transgender people but the …
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Bill limits signs to one area of the Towson Commercial District. The council also approves the donation of Catonsville Short Line rail property and the appointment of Dr. Gregory Branch as director of Social Services.
A law meant to allow changeable copy signs in downtown Towson has been changed before the first sign could even be erected. The bill, as approved last night, amends a law sponsored by Councilman David Marks two months ago. The amendments passed last night, which go into effect on Dec. 19, limit the height of the signs to areas in the northern arc of the Towson commercial district around the Towson City Center project. The bill also limits the height of the signs to 55 feet. In October, the council approved a bill allowing electronic signs, including changeable copy signs, in certain areas in the downtown Towson commercial district. The bill was supposed to apply primarily to the Towson City Center project, but community activists worried …
Monday, January 31, 2011
Decision sets up split along party lines.
Councilman David Marks said today that he intends to vote against a bill that would allow near-unlimited expansion of the county's speed camera enforcement program. At issue is an amendment expected to be introduced by Council Chairman John Olszewski Sr. that would allow the county to use mobile speed camera units in school zones. Currently, the county has 15 cameras installed in fixed locations. "It's a poison pill amendment for me," Marks said. "I don't like the idea of portable speed cameras." He added: "I think it's a great leap forward in terms of this program in Baltimore County and I don't know if there's any public support for it." The council will hold a hearing on the bill during Tuesday's work session. Police on Friday publicly …
Buck Harmon
11:18 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
No question...community input should be mandatory.. more ›